Escaping Trepidation
by buckwolvhoosier
Summary: Six friends go to the Scottish Highlands to hike/climb over their holiday. While hiking, they find a girl buried alive with an air pipe. They attempt to get the girl to safety, ultimately risking their lives. Based off the movie A Lonely Place to Die.
1. Chapter 1

**Escaping Trepidation **

**Chapter 1**

Mr. Kidd showed no remorse towards the little girl with long black hair and brown eyes as he pushed her into the hole. She was too scared to run off or fight back, and even if she did not lack the courage, she had nowhere to go. They had abducted her while she was walking home from school and had dragged her to a foreign country where they had a hole dug in the middle of the wilderness. The hole was lined with wood, so she would not be sitting in the dirt, and it was small, barely large enough for her to fit.

"Don't even bother calling for help. There will be no one to hear you," Mr. Mcrae said.

Mr. Kidd chuckled while he threw a small water bottle at her. "Let's seal her up."

Mr. Mcrae nodded and picked up the wooden panel that would become her roof. The girl suddenly began to fidget when she learned what they were about to do. Her worst fears began to take over her mind and she wished that someone would help her. The only thing she did not have to worry about was suffocation; a metal breathing tube had been placed in the middle of the wooden door giving her enough air to survive.

The little girl's world became dark and she gained a sense of claustrophobia causing her to bang on the wood above her, screaming. She carried on for hours until she became too exhausted and began to cry silently to herself.

Miles away, the two kidnappers celebrated their success and began to carry out the second half of their dark plan.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Days Later<strong>

Emma took a deep breath and looked around. She was about 250 feet above the ground, or about halfway up the cliff. The morning air was cool against her skin and she was glad to be climbing once more. Two years ago, her mother had died after suffering a head injury from climbing and she had become afraid, even though climbing had been her greatest passion. Her friend Alison encouraged her to overcome her fear and after much consideration, she decided to spend her holiday in the Scottish Highlands with her friends, dragging Ed, her boyfriend, along as well.

He was a climber, much to her dismay, but he also told her to stop living in fear. "It's in your blood to be a mountaineer," he had told her. What happened to her mother was a fluke, and they helped realize that. "As long as I trust the people I climb with and we use proper equipment, I guess I will go climbing again," she said before deciding to go on the trip.

A bird flew overhead, cawing. "Is that a golden eagle?" Alison was holding Ed's camera following the bird with the lens. The three of them were waiting on a wide ledge while Rob climbed to their third belay point.

"I don't know. Maybe it's a buzzard or something." Ed really did not know his birds.

Emma squinted as she looked up at the sky, watching the bird fly gracefully away. "No, it's much too big to be a buzzard. Did you get a picture of it?" She leaned over Alison's shoulder.

"Barely."

"Let me see." Alison ran the playback on the camera. "Yeah, I think it was a golden eagle. He's massive."

"All right girls, enough with the bird. Throw the camera at the money."

Emma laughed, lightly. "Babe, I think we have plenty of pictures of you."

"Come on. I want people to see how high up we are. Just one more picture all right, and then I will put the camera away."

"Fine," Alison said, "if it gets you to stop pouting."

"I've told him dozens of times that he should be a male model since he loves himself and the camera." Emma chuckled. Ed always wanted attention and was the most photogenic person she had ever met.

"Shut up," Ed retorted, looking at the picture Alison had taken. Around his ankles, the yellow rope lay coiled. A hundred feet above him, Rob began to tug on the rope, and with a sudden hard tug, the rope tightened making Ed lose his balance. Before he could process what had happened, he was hanging upside down, his camera no longer in his hand. His head banged against the rock.

"Ahhh!" The next few seconds were long as his brain finally concluded what had transpired. It was then that Ed began to panic. Turning his head slightly to the right allowed him to see Alison and then Emma, who was dangling a few feet below her.

They had slipped as well, but unlike Ed, they were not upside down. Ed shifted his eyes and saw the ground below, making him gain a strong sense of vertigo. He usually did not have a fear of heights, but this time was an exception. He continued hollering at the top of his lungs in pure terror.

"Ed!" Alison yelled after her initial shock had subsided. Emma began to hyperventilate, tears streaming down her cheeks as she watched her boyfriend hang helplessly upside down. Her head hurt since Ed's camera hit her face when it fell towards the distant, but she ignored the pain.

"Alison, help me; it's not going to hold!" Ed tried to lift himself up. When he failed, his fear intensified, allowing him to become irrational. "Alison, please! The rope will not hold!" In his mind, he thought the rope would snap even though the rope was strong and properly supported.

Emma's thoughts strayed to her mother the longer she watched Ed, and she began to wish that she had never agreed to go climbing. Hanging off a cliff officially lost its appeal and she just wanted to finish the trip and leave. Another shout from Ed shook off her thoughts. "Ed, hold on! Rob get down here now!" Emma shouted. Her palms were sweaty and her stomach was tied in knots. In her head, she recited another prayer.

"Ed, just breathe. Ed, Ed, you have to listen to me. Just breathe." Alison coaxed as Rob began to descend.

"Ahhh!" Ed would not stop fussing as the long, tense, minutes passed. Several times he tried to lift himself up to grab the rope, but he never could. He needed help. "Rob, help me!"

"All right, all right, all right. Get your breath," Rob said when he was finally next to Ed. "Jesus Christ guys, what happened?"

"The rope caught on his foot." Alison said.

"All right. Let's get him up. Come on, get a hold of the rope and just breathe."

* * *

><p>Emma embraced her boyfriend once they made it to the top of the cliff. "I thought I was going to lose you." Ed held her close and said nothing, still shook up. He was fortunate that he was not seriously injured or dead, but he was quite sore and his head throbbed. The three had managed to receive a few cuts and bruises from the jagged cliff that they had eventually conquered. They rested for a while to catch their breath and to allow their adrenaline to subside. It was late morning when they set off again through the rugged terrain of the mountain. Though it was tough to trudge through, it was still beautiful. The taller mountain peaks were covered in snow and the top was hidden due to the clouds. The grass was a little brown due to the lack of rain, but it was not a terrible scene to behold.<p>

A few trees dotted the vast landscape. Only when they began to descend did they find more and more until they were in a forested part of the mountain. Most of the trees were pines, but there were a decent amount of spruce trees as well. They were all greener than the grass giving the area more color much like the wildflowers that grew around their trunks.

For hours, Ed moped about losing his camera. It was one of his passions and Emma told him that she would get him a new camera for his birthday, which was only a few weeks away.

During a short water break, Alison finally commented on their early morning mishap. "Hey, Ed, don't ever have a concentration lapse like that again. If you want to climb with me, you have to up your game—ok. Complacency is a killer out here." She was a very experienced climber, maybe more so than Rob, and she was picky about who she climbed with.

Emma became annoyed. All morning Ed would not stop talking about what happened and she did not like her friend harping on him, especially when it was not entirely his fault. "Just leave him alone, will ya."

"We got lucky, Emma. The three of us only got away with some cuts and bruises, but I do not want that to happen again." Alison dropped the conversation and walked away, taking the lead.

"Thanks Emma, but she's right." Taking the blame made him look pitiful with his sad blue eyes, the same blue eyes that make Emma melt each time she looked at them. She kissed her boyfriend before she followed Alison. "Remind me why we do this again?" Ed asked, softly.

"Because we don't surf," Rob said.

Once the rocky terrain subsided, they found the path that would lead them to their cottage where their friends Alex and Jenny waited and the real adventure would begin.


	2. Chapter 2

**Escaping Trepidation**

**Chapter 2**

The hikers reached the cottage before the sun began to lower in the sky, much to their relief. The cottage was large and was built of grey stone, blending into the environment. Smoke rose from the chimney making it look even more quaint and comfortable after a long day. Jenny and Alex were standing next to the cottage waiting to greet them.

"Hey, how are you doing honey?" Jenny enveloped Alison in a hug.

"Hey," they said, one by one as they greeted on another. For the most part they knew each other, Ed being the exception; he knew of Jenny and Alex, but he never met them until that moment.

"I'm Ed by the way." He waved, feeling a bit awkward.

"It's nice to meet finally meet you," Jenny said with a welcoming smile. "Emma talks a lot about you."

"And I hear everything from my wife," Alex piped in. Rob and Alison chuckled.

"All good things I hope," Ed glanced at his girlfriend.

Emma sighed, "He's never good." Her sarcasm was blatant, but Ed still frowned.

"Anyways," Jenny motioned towards the cottage, "we took the double room with the suite. Someone will have to sleep on the couch if they do not want to share a room, is that okay?"

"Emma, do you want to room with me?" Alison asked.

She shook her head. "No, I would like to room with Ed." Her friend nodded, looking a little disappointed.

"I thought you said he's never good?" Alex said, jokingly.

"Fuck off." Emma said as she headed inside.

Jenny gave her husband a scolding look before following Emma.

"For a nice cottage, it sure smells bad in here." Emma said, crinkling her nose and taking off her coat.

"Yeah, it smells as if something has died in here," Ed had followed behind Jenny; Alison, Rob, and Alex behind him. For a large cottage, the hallway was skinny making them cramped. Rob pushed through and headed towards a window.

"Let's get some air in here."

"Yes please before I pass out."

"Right, if we had a phone in here mate, you could call up the landlord and complain."

"There's no phone? Great." Next to him, Emma crossed her arms. Taking notice Ed asked, "What?"

"Why do you need a phone?" When he did no answer, she uncrossed her arms and said softly, "You don't need a phone while I am here." She kissed his cheek and headed over to a bedroom that she claimed for herself and her boyfriend.

Ed let lose a big smile. "Wanker," Rob said, laughing. Ed left towards the bedroom Emma picked out, still smiling. Focusing on the window again, Rob sighed. "And the window is bust."

* * *

><p>While Emma, Alison, Ed, and Rob took turns washing up, Jenny and Alex began to cook a delicious pasta dinner. As Jenny cooked the noodles, her demeanor began to change. Her husband embraced her from behind. "I am sure she is already tucked up and asleep by now."<p>

"Your parents are such a pushover. She runs rings around them; she's such a little monkey." She paused, and then said, "I miss her."

"It's only been two days Jen." He missed his daughter as well, but he knew she was being taken care of. His wife, however, begged to differ; she felt that the only one who could properly care for Christine was herself and her husband.

Alex grudgingly let go of his wife to help finish the meal. When they had finished eating, they decided to play poker. During the game, Ed warmed up to Jenny and Alex, making him feel as if he had known them longer. Emma was glad that they were getting along, for the most part. At times there was tension, but that was due to the fact that Alex and Ed were great poker players and they butted heads.

Watching them amused her. She was a decent player herself and had won a few rounds, gaining her enough bottle tops, pasta swirls, and match sticks (their version of poker chips).

"I will need to know how much these little fellows is worth?" Jenny asked as she held up a pasta swirl. She was the only one who did not know much about the game.

"Five matchsticks makes one pasta swirl." Alex said, giving his wife a funny look.

She looked strangely back at him before she asked, "Right, and how much is a bottle top?"

"Two pasta swirls make a top"

"Ok, so ten match sticks makes one bottle top?" Alison clicked her tongue to confirm that she was right. Alex chuckled and Ed rolled his eyes, anxious to get on with the game. "It's a bit confusing is all." She said, noticing their reactions.

"It really isn't," Ed said, a little rude.

Emma nudged her boyfriend. "Be nice."

"What are you going to do Jen?" Alex asked.

"Well ladies and gentlemen, I fold." Ed and Alex scoffed.

"Right, what do you have that is so special?" Emma asked Ed. She did her best to act like she had a good hand when she really didn't, and she had a feeling her boyfriend could call her bluff.

"I have a pasta swirl and two tops to raise by."

Emma matched his offer and looked at Alex. He was looking at Ed, suspiciously. At long last he said, "I am going to keep him honest. All in." Alison did not care, so she followed suite. It was Ed's turn again. "You might as well jump on in."

After a slight hesitation, Ed gave in and pushed all his "chips" towards the center of the table. Emma and Alison revealed their cards, both having nothing significant. With a sly smile, Alex threw down three kings. Ed sighed. "Damn it, I only got three tens."

Alex whooped in joy and stood up to claim his prize. Before he could shove it all to his side of the table, Ed threw down two more cards and said, "I have a pair of Queens as well, if that helps." Alex scowled, stopping in his tracks.

Emma stifled a giggle. "A full house, let him take it." Rob said.

Alex let go of the booty and sat down while Ed grabbed the pile. He chucked a lump of money at him as well, unhappy to lose it all. "Don't spend it all in one pub."

Ed unraveled one of the bills and frowned. "Alex, what is this, where's the Queen?"

"That's a Scottish Ten"

"This is worse than Monopoly money; I won't able to buy anything with this," he pouted.

"Well, I only have two words for you…"

"Do they involve sex and trouble?" Jen asked. Alex nodded.

"Very funny," Emma said.

"Right, well I am off to bed, come on honey." Jen stood up, her husband getting up as well.

"Another round?" Ed grabbed the cards and began shuffling the deck.

"Yeah, but after, I want to get to bed as well," Emma winked at Ed.

"Sex and trouble." The group laughed.

A photo of a white capped mountain caught Alison's attention. "Stick with me, Alice, and we can climb that this time next year."

"Jager, yeah let's do it, the north face." She studied the picture some more, scrutinizing every detail. "Killed seventy people; you know if you fall from the summit, it will take you thirty seconds to hit the ground. Thirty seconds to recall your life and say your goodbyes the whole way down."

"That's cheery," Emma said, mainly to herself.

"Enough time to say the Lord's Prayer." Rob was a bit religious.

In a nonchalant tone, Ed retorted. "If you believe that's going to save you."

"Well, you need something." Alison took her eyes off the picture and grabbed her cup, taking a sip. When she set it down, Ed asked if she wanted a refill. "Fill her up."

He stopped when he saw the gin, saying, "No, you can't mix gin and whiskey."

"It's called a 'giskey'. I just invented it."

"A giskey?" Emma raised her eyebrows.

"Do you want one?" She looked around the table, but no one acknowledged her offer.

* * *

><p>"Are we all set for tomorrow?" Mr. Mcrae was not a patient man. He stared at his partner with interest as he polished his handgun.<p>

Mr. Kidd nodded in approval. "By this time tomorrow, the exchange will be over and we will have six million Euros."


	3. Chapter 3

**Escaping Trepidation  
>Chapter 1<strong>

Darko trudged through the already crowded streets of Inverness. It was not even 9:00 A.M., but it was a Saturday, and a gorgeous Saturday at that, so citizens and tourists alike were out enjoying the fresh air. On almost every street, there would be a vendor offering goods to those passing by, and after getting stopped three times, Darko decided to walk closer to the road. He was in a bit of a hurry as he scanned the street signs looking for the Copeland and Zeiger intersection. In his hand, he carried a black suitcase that matched the business suit he wore.

Darko was no stranger to Inverness, but it had never been to that part of the city. In his head, he visualized the map he had to memorize. Having a physical map made him look like a tourist, and he did not want that image. After walking towards the old village square for half an hour, he finally found the intersection he was looking for. Right on the corner stood the Brebner Café.

He crossed the busy street and smoothed his dark blond hair before entering the building. As promised, Andy, a dark skinned and muscular man, sat at a booth at the back of the café, drinking a cup of coffee. At the sight of Darko, he motioned for the waitress. "What can I get you?" She asked.

"Another cup of coffee for my friend." She smiled and nodded when she saw the other man approach.

"You know I hate coffee," Darko said, sitting down.

"I am just trying to keep up appearances." Andy took another sip.

"I can see that." He thanked the waitress when she returned. "Right, now down to business; I thought you said you had a partner?"

Andy nodded. "I do. I have made arrangements to pick him up at Essich, if that is all right with you."

Darko agreed since the town was on their way to Annan Mor. "Make sure he is ready when we arrive."

"He will be." Darko had never worked with Andy before, but the man had an honorable reputation, so he found it easy to believe the man's word. "Do you have the money?" His voice became low so that the people around him could not hear.

"It's in the suitcase."

Andy stood up when he finished his coffee. "Then we should be going." Darko followed his companion out of the café and stopped at a silver sports car.

"So much for blending in," Darko said, admiring the car.

"Don't worry about it; no one will be paying attention to the car with the Fire Festival going on. Besides, this is a rental."

The men settled themselves in the car, Andy in the driver's seat, and drove off, leaving the city behind.

* * *

><p>Rob looked at his watch. 12:01 P.M. He was leading the way through the mountainous trail as his five friends followed behind. They had left early in the morning in order to finish the hike by evening. Already they had covered almost ten miles. Sitting down on a boulder, he took off his pack stuffed with rope, water, granola bars, and a map. "We should stop and eat lunch here."<p>

"I think that is a great idea." Jenny looked at her husband, smiling.

Alex nodded. "I like the location; the rocks make a great makeshift table."

One by one, Jenny handed out the sandwiches she had made. "Enjoy."

"What is this?" Ed looked at the enclosed food.

Alex, who had already taken a bite, replied. "Smoked mackerel."

Ed became a little pale. Speaking for him, Emma said, "He hates fish."

"Oh," Jenny felt terrible, wishing she had asked the group what they had liked before making the sandwiches. "I'm sorry. You could try swiping out the mackerel and eat the bread. You also have an egg."

Ed looked at the bread, and cringed. "No, I can't do that. It's been tainted."

"You remind me of my daughter; you're such a fussy eater, which I find surprising at your age."

Emma laughed sarcastically, "You have no idea."

"Fuck it; I've got chocolate." Ed grabbed his candy and took a bite.

A few birds chirped above them, lightening their mood. The rain had cleared up by morning, the sun breaking through the clouds, making the area look lush and greener than the day before. Their path was a little muddy, but the scenery was worth the grime. Emma took a deep breath, smelling the fresh scent of pine. The trees were much closer together and more vegetation grew at their trunks at the lower altitude. The trail they had chosen descended the mountain at a reasonable slope.

In moderate silence, the group ate their food. Several minutes later, Ed broke the silence. "I've gotta pee." He got up and began walking away from the ring of boulders.

Emma rolled her eyes at his indiscretion. "Must you give us a commentary?"

Fueling his mood, he continued. "I found a cracking spot, while unbuttoning my fly, and pulling it out…" He was messing with his friends.

"Shut up wanker!" Rob yelled across the woods.

Emma rubbed her temples to refrain from yelling at him as well. "I'm sorry guys."

Alex shrugged. "Not your fault. I know a few guys like him; always seeking attention."

"Mhmm." Emma sighed and took a drink of water.

Still looking for a place to urinate, Ed continued walking. A sudden muffled noise caught his attention, making him halt. When he heard the noise again, he became alarmed. "Hey guys, I heard something!"

"What?" Rob asked, uninterested.

"I don't know; it's something."

"Mate, I'm not falling for that!" Rob shook his head, chuckling.

"I'm serious. Come check it out! I'm serious!" He scanned the wilderness trying to find where the sound was coming from.

Emma looked at Alison before standing up. She knew when her boyfriend was being serious, and, at the moment, he was no longer joking around. Alison followed her friend, curious what had changed Ed's demeanor in a matter of seconds. "What is it?"

"Shh!" He placed his fingers to his lips. Off in the distance, the noise presented itself. "Do you hear that?"

Looking baffled, Alison nodded. "I hear it too," Emma whispered.

"What do you think it is?"

"An animal?" Alison was only guessing.

"No, it sounds more like…." Emma trailed off.

"A person," Ed finished his girlfriend's sentence.

"Hey guys, get over here!" Alison urged the rest of her friends to join them.

Carefully, Emma headed towards the sound. Behind her, the group followed, quietly. As the sound became louder, they were convinced that it had to be coming from a human being. The land flattened out, the tree's thinning a little, until they came across a small clearing. Emma paused several feet away from a metal pipe protruding from the ground.

"What is that?" Alex asked, afraid of the answer. He was standing next to Emma, staring at the pipe as well.

Rob walked exceedingly close to the pipe to examine it. He became rigid once he discovered what it was. "Shit, it's a breathing tube. Someone's down there!" He immediately ran off before anyone could respond.

Gaining some courage, Emma approached the pipe. "Hello?" She stumbled backward, hyperventilating as soon as the noise, a voice of a young girl, responded in a foreign language. Ed wrapped his arms around her in comfort as she began to shake.

"Oh my God," Jenny said, looking sick.

Alison and the others stood silent, waiting for Rob to return. When he reappeared, he had his pack and two mini collapsible shovels. Keeping one for himself, he threw the second shovel at Alex. When he did not do anything, Ed let go of Emma and took the shovel from Alex. "I'll help Rob then."

Jenny looked questioningly at Alex. "What?" he asked, defensively. "We do not know what is down there."

"Don't you mean who?" Ed could not believe how Alex was acting, especially since he was a father. Rob and Ed tore at the ground with their shovels until the tip hit wood. "Come on, help us find the sides!" The girls bent down to help, the moist dirt staining their hands. Within moments they found the sides of the wooden door and with a great deal of effort, managed to lift it off. Cowering in the far right corner sat a small girl who covered her eyes. Eventually, she lowered her arms, allowing her dark brown eyes to adjust to the light.

The hikers stood around the edge of the hole, staring at the young girl. "Jesus Christ…" Emma said, trailing off.

Recollecting himself, Ed kneeled down and reached out towards the girl. Frightened, she bit his hand and retreated to the opposite corner of the hole. Rob tried to reach for the girl like Ed, but retreated when his hand was bit as well. "Ouch!"

"Stop it, you're scaring her," Emma chastised.

Trying a different approach, Jenny slowly climbed down into the hole, calming talking to the girl. "It's ok. We are not going to hurt you. It's ok." The girl tensed at the woman's approach, warming up when she convinced herself that the woman was not a threat.

Jenny embraced the girl, still chanting her comforting words. The girl gripped Jenny's shirt, tightly. The two remained locked in each other's arms until the girl was calm enough to move. "Ok, honey," She looked at her husband, "help." She hoisted the girl up towards Alex, who grabbed the girl and placed her gently on the ground. Jenny held the girl again as soon as she exited the hole.

"Water." Rob handed Jenny his water bottle. "Slowly, slowly, slowly," Jenny coaxed as the girl began to drink the water quickly. When the water was gone, Jenny asked, "Sweetie, can you tell me your name? You're name? Jenny. I'm Jenny." She gestured at herself.

Finally understanding the woman, the girl quietly said, "Anna."

"Okay." Jenny thought for a moment, and then asked, "Anna where you are from?" The girl suddenly began to ramble in a language that she did not understand. Unsure what to do, Jenny nodded. "Okay." Looking up at her friends she asked, "Does anyone know what language that is?"

Rob shrugged. "I don't know. Russian, maybe?"

"It might be Croatian," Ed retorted.

"How do you know that?" Alex asked, unconvinced.

"I had an ex-girlfriend who used to swear at me in Croa whenever she got pissed off at me."

"Are you sure?"

"She used to swear at me a lot."

"It's true." Emma said.

"Can you understand what she is saying?" Alison asked.

Ed shook his head. "No, not really. It's just that the accent sounds familiar."

Jenny sighed and returned her gaze to Anna. "Who would do something like this?"

"Whoever did it didn't want her to die, otherwise, there wouldn't be an air pipe." Alison stated.

"I don't know who did this and I don't know why; I just want to get her out of here before they come back." Alex said, becoming nervous. The discovery of the girl had placed all the hikers on edge, but Alex was beginning to reveal his emotions more, making him short-tempered.

"Listen, she is our responsibility now," Jenny began. "We've got to get her help; we've got to get her off these mountains as soon as possible."

"I agree," Emma said.

Rob took out his map and examined the routes. "Well we're here, twelve miles south-southwest of Antilla. The nearest village is Annan Mor, so here, if we head east along the Semitar Ridge until we get to the river, then we can double back to the village. That's about fifteen, maybe twenty, miles all in."

While discussed a possible path, Alison explored around the area, finding a dented, empty, water bottle in the hole. When she found nothing else, she headed back. "I found this in the hole," she tossed the water bottle at Rob, "She must have been down there for days."

"Did she have any food?" Jenny asked, concerned.

"It didn't look like it."

"Poor thing, she must have been starving down there all by herself."

"Well, there is always my mackerel sandwich," Ed said, handing over the bag, glad that some good came from his fussiness.

Alex looked at Rob, and said, "Can't we use your cellphone to call for help?"

"Up in these mountains?" Rob, scoffed. "We won't even begin to get a signal until we are closer to the village."Alex sighed. "Well, there is a faster route. We are only about two miles away from Devil's Drop."

"What's Devil's Drop?" Jenny asked.

"It's the only way to breach the ridge. It's a sheer cliff face about five hundred feet straight down, but from there, it's only a four mile hike to the village." Emma said, shuddering. Devil's Drop was known to be a climber's worst nightmare, even experienced climbers have refused to climb the cliff. The main problem was no the height; it was the lack of belay points. Devil's Drop alone has claimed almost as many lives as Mount Yager.

"How do we get a child down Devil's Drop?" Alex questioned.

Before Emma could reply with her objections, Rob said, "We don't. Two of us climb down and run to the village to get help while the rest head along the Semitar Ridge." He paused for a moment, and then added, "I will be one of the climbers."

"Whose are you going to take with you?" Emma asked?

"Alison. I'm sorry, Emma, but I need the best."

Taking no offense, Emma nodded. Next to her, Alison sighed. "It's a massive face Rob; we don't have enough rope."

"We'll multi-pitch it and we'll be fine." Alison refused to argue, thinking about the girl, and agreed to go with Rob. He grabbed his pack and stood up, giving his map to Alex. "Once we get to the village, we will have a rescue team sent up. As long as you stick to the route I've outlined, they will find you."

With that, the two groups wished each other luck and said their goodbyes before branching off in opposite directions.


	4. Chapter 4

**Escaping Trepidation**

**Chapter 4**

"Shit," Mr. Kidd mouthed as he stared at the vacant hole before him. His partner, Mr. Mcrae, had a similar distraught look upon his face as well. They had left early from Inverness that morning in order to grab the girl they had abducted three days ago only to find the hole completely empty, save for the spider that crawled on the floor. In an attempt to recollect himself, Mr. Kidd shifted his gaze from the hole to observe the ground around it. Several footprints tattooed the dirt allowing him to examine which direction the perpetrators had come from, and most importantly, where headed. He kneeled down to scrutinize them further.

"Do you think it was the police?" Mr. Mcrae asked. He glared at his partner as if he were responsible the girl's disappearance.

Mr. Kidd shook his head in disagreement. "No. I think a group of experienced hikers happened upon the girl. Come here and see for yourself." He waited until his companion loomed above him before continuing. "We made sure to hide the girl away from any marked trails, and, we had hoped that the early season would deter hikers, but apparently we had made a mistake."

"Correction, you made the mistake of burying her here," Mr. Mcrae growled.

His partner dismissed the statement and said, "Regardless, the group who discovered the girl had experience in mountain climbing and had split up, another indication that it was not the police." He pointed at the junction proving his point.

"What do you have in mind then?"

Instead of answering his question, Mr. Kidd stood up and brushed the dirt off his khaki pants. He strolled around, following a set of tracks and scowled. "It looks like two members of the group are headed towards Devil's Drop."

"What does that mean?" Mr. Mcrae crossed his arms in frustration.

"Do you have your rifles?"

"Of course. I placed them in the back of the truck, just in case."

"Good, 'cause we will need them. The two are headed towards the village, and the closest route is to climb down Devil's Drop. We need to stop them." Mr. Kidd released a sly smile.

"What about the other group? I am assuming that they have the girl."

"We will track them after." Mr. Kidd said, matter-of-factly.

"You plan to hunt them down?"

"Aye." He paused for a moment to rework his plan, and then said, "Mcrae, I want you to head back to the truck to retrieve the rifles. Meet me back here once you have them. I will be tracking the two who headed off towards the cliff." He took out his utility knife. "I will make sure that they drop. Oh yes, they will drop." Mr. Kidd chuckled, the evil sound startling a nearby bird that had been perched on a tree branch.

"Right, then let's get to it." He brushed past his partner, who tested his knife against one of his fingers sending a trickle of blood down his palm.

Relief spread across Alison's face as she beheld the massive cliff. "We managed to cover all that terrain in only two and a half hours; I think that is a record."

Rob gulped down some water, wiping the sweat off his brow afterward. "Let's see if we can get down this cliff in record time," he said, keeping up their spirits. He swung his backpack off and placed it upon the jagged ground they were standing upon and began to take out their climbing gear.

Taking a moment to observe their surroundings, Alison carefully stepped towards the ledge and peered down. Devil's Drop certainly held its reputation as her stomach churned. "Are you sure we can do this?"

"We have to for Anna's sake." He stood up and walked next to her. "Look, those are the Belasian Steps which will be our first belay point." He was pointing at a group of rocks about a hundred feet down that stuck out further than the rest of the cliff at uneven intervals making them look like stairs. "If we take it slow and steady, we will be fine." Beyond the steps, the rock curved inward a little and was smoother.

"So much for climbing down in record time," she joked to calm her nerves.

Rob smiled and returned back to his pack. He grabbed some rope and began to untangle it while Alison looked over the ledge again. Five hundred feet below, the raging Isola River flowed carelessly. The river bed was not very large, but it was enough room for the two to land upon. From there they would walk a short ways to the nearest crossing toward the shore on the other side.

She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before turning to help Rob. Within twenty minutes, they had the rope all set up and ready to go. "Do you want to go down first?" Rob asked.

Unwilling to display more of her nerves, she nodded and walked over to the ledge again. Before she began to descend, she checked her harness, rope, and carabineer for any mistakes. Finding none, she looked over her shoulder and walked backwards, slowly bending her knees in the process. With a few careful steps, she hung successfully off the cliff. In small increments, she began to trek her way down.

When she reached the Belasian Steps, she called up to Rob. After confirmation, she began to descend towards the second belay point, which was a hundred feet below her. Knowing that there were no more great footholds, Alison made her way down at a much slower pace. Everything was going fine until she made a grave discovery. Dangling a little over three hundred feet above the ground, she yelled, "Rob there's no more rope!"

Her heart began to race as she looked for a better way down. "Fuck," she said to herself as she found nothing but smooth rock for five feet. At the five foot mark, she noticed a sharp piece of rock that protruded from the cliff.

Rob peered over the ledged and saw his friend struggle with the rope. "Can you make it?"

"I'm not sure." She stopped fidgeting to loop up at Rob's distance face.

Rob cursed under his breath. He did not want to give up on their endeavor, but he also had to make sure that they were safe.

Alison craned her neck to look at the small rock that stuck out and began to carefully untie her rope giving her a little more slack. Even with the additional inches of rope she had a hard time reaching her destination. Still, she was determined after making it that far. She closed her eyes and thought about Anna. A flood of energy rushed through her veins at an image of the little girl entered her mind. "For you," she whispered before opening her eyes.

"Alison?" Rob was becoming impatient.

"I think I can make it" she said shouting so he could hear.

"All right, but I'm coming down. How is it?"

"Fucking scary, Rob. You be careful okay. Once you get to this point, there will not be another foothold for another five feet." He acknowledged her caution and started to climb down.

Meanwhile, Alison managed to creep along the cliff until her foot rested securely upon the small protruding rock. At this point, she no longer had any support from the rope. Taking some deep breaths, she scanned around the area for her next foothold. A large crack in the rock caught her attention. It was roughly three feet below her and cut lengthwise across the rock for nearly fifteen feet.

Again, she successfully shifted herself towards the crack allowing her feet to be supported once more. With cautious precision, she descended about fifty feet before she looked up to see how Rob was holding up. He was already a few feet past the steps making her feel much better. Soon, he would be traversing the same path she had mapped out, and with her help, they should be able to descend the rest of the mountain.

A lot of her tension was released when she angled herself towards several trees that grew out of the side of the rock. The trees covered a good fifty to sixty feet of the cliff, leaving them with only seventy feet left once they emerged out of the trees. From what she could see, the rock look more jagged past the trees, but she was not entirely sure.

A sudden _twang_ interrupted her thoughts. Before she had a chance to look up, a figure flew past her. It took her a moment to realize that the figure was Rob. She froze, clinging tightly to the cliff as she screamed in pure terror. With a distant _thud_, Rob landed on a pile of rocks, dead. All alone, Alison began to hyperventilate, bitter tears begging to stream down her cheeks.

She had to force herself to look down to believe that he was actually gone. What baffled her is that he fell in silence; not a single sound erupted from his lips as gravity pulled him towards the ground. Scared for her life, Alison, stood there for several minutes crying until she convinced herself that tears would not help her climb down the rest of the mountain.

With renewed vigor, she calmed herself and started to climb down again. She took her time and made it ten feet before another eerie sound captured her attention. Immediately, she looked up and saw a small boulder falling towards her. Panic swelled within her once more as she frantically tried to find a foothold that would take her out of the boulder's path. To her dismay, she found none.

With nothing else to do, she pressed herself closer to the rock and prayed. As if on cue, the boulder slammed into the cliff causing it to rebound and soar over Alison. She heaved a huge sigh of relief but she was still frightened. Glancing back at the top of the cliff she barely caught the silhouette of a man. He had walked away from the ledge the moment she looked up, but she was certain she saw someone.

In that moment, she realized that it must be the kidnapper, else why would he try to kill her? Her thoughts strayed back to Rob. If her conclusion was correct, his rope had to have been cut. Since she was not dangling from the rope, the kidnapper was using another method to get rid of her.

Another boulder came barreling down the side eliminating any doubts she had. This time, the stone veered too much to the right and fell less than ten feet away from her. Alison clung to the cliff for dear life, turning her knuckles white from the pressure. A third boulder breezed past her making her grateful that the man's aim was terrible. The moment after the pleasant thought crossed her mind, a fourth boulder descended towards her.

Seconds later she felt the stone impact her chest making her lose her balance. The unwanted sensation of free fall enveloped her entire body as she soared through the air. As she fell, she finally understood why Rob did not scream; there was no point. Her body was cutting through the air and there was nothing she could do except recall her life seconds before her life would end.

_Thunk_! Alison lost her breath and heard a crack come from her back as she collided with a thick tree branch. Intense pain ensued afterward, but she had no time to cry out as branch after branch hit her. She desperately tried to grab hold, but she moved too quickly for her limbs to work properly. All she managed to accomplish were several cuts on her hand.

The last branch collided with back signaling that she would hit the ground in a few moments. Defeated, she closed her eyes and reviewed her life, wishing that she could say goodbye to her family and friends. She felt a rush of ice cold water surround her body. Long seconds past before she realized that she was still alive. With all the force she could muster, she swam over to the river bank where Rob lay in a puddle of blood.

Panting, she crawled onto the dry land. The last thing she remembered before she blacked out was the sound of rushing river beside her.


End file.
